Ore-concentrator.



(Application led Feb. 7, 1899.)

2 Sh'eets-Sheet l.

(No- Model.)

n4: Norms PETERS cu.. Pacmmrno.. wAsumaron. D. c.

No.1650,673. Patented May 29, |900.

W. G. DODD.

URE CUNCENTRATOH.

(Application led Feb. 7, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (No Model.)

M11/mam THE Nonms Pneus co. pnavuuwa.. wAsHmsToN, u. c.

'PATIENT 1j ji trice.

wims G. DoDD, or sAN FRANCISCO, oALiFoRi.

oRE-ooNcENTRToR.

S'PECIFICA'ION forming part of Letters Patent No. 650,673, dated May 2Q, 190.

Application filed February '7, 1899. Serial No. 704,848. (No model.)

.To all whom it 'may concern: I

Be it known that I, VILLIS G. DODD, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city and in the county of San Francisco,in the State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ore-Concentrators; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,v and exact description thereof.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in ore-concentrators, which consist in the arrangement of parts and details of construction, as will be hereinafter fully set forth in the drawings and described and pointed out in the specification. All ores cannot be treated in the same way, for the reason that the values are carried in different forms. For instance, one class of ore may carry its value in coarse particles of lead or iron pyrites disseminated through the quartz or gangue. This ore when crushed easily liberates'the heavy lead and pyrites and is termed a simple one to concentrate, rst, because the original ore does not require to be crushed very Iine to liberate that portion desired to be saved, and, secondly, as the particles desired to be saved are coarse the operation of separating them is not a delicate one, and a table equipped with a multiple set of riflies will do this class of Work quite well; but when the ore carries its value in small particles of sulfurets finely disseminated throughout the entire mass of quartz or gangue, requiring fine crushing to liberate the particles to be concentrated and incidentally producing valuable slimes carrying iioat-gold, then the operation becomes a very delicate one and must be carried out on lines that offer the least resistance to the natural forces employed-viz., gravity current of water and the movement given the ore by the motion of the table. Care must be taken to avoid anything that will stir up or lift the ne particles of sulfurets or float-gold to the surface after they have once been in contact with the surface of the table. To avoid this disturbance and lessen it as much as possible, only one riiile, as hereinafter described, is used, which is placed on the table at such a curve as would be naturally formed by the l sulfurets upon the table if no riflie were used. The riflie when placed in the proper position collects, holds, and guides the particles p1,

Y edge.

their natural path toward the foot of the table, where they are finally cleaned and passed into the proper box or receptacle.

With a multiple set of straight rifles the class of ore described above cannot be worked. The lcascade of water passing from one riftle to another boils up iine sulfurets and floatgold and carries them away with the gangues or tailings, making the operation desired a loss instead of a saving.

The object of the invention is to provide a concentrator particularly adapted for working the class of lore described above.

For a comprehensive understanding of the invention reference should be had to the accompanying sheets of drawings, wherein- Figure l is a top plan view of the concentrator and its drive mechanism. Fig. 2 is a side View in elevation with the concentratingtable lowered its full distance. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view in elevation, taken on line x Fig. l, and viewed from the drive end of the table; and Fig. 4 is a broken dctail view in side elevation viewed from the feed side of the table, illustrating the ballbearing connection between the under face of the table andv its supporting-frame and a portion of the mechanism for tilting the table.

The numeral l is used to designate the base of the machine, which in the present case consists of longitudinal and cross pieces. Above this base is located the supporting-frame 2, which at one side is movably connected to the front of the base by means of the hinges 3, so that the said supporting-frame is free to swing up and down. In the-presentcase the supporting and adjusting frame 2 consists of a series of cross-pieces each carrying at its free end an inclined wedge block or shoe 4. Of course it Will be readily understood that the supporting-frame may comprise a solid table hinged at one edge to the base l and having a series of inclined Wedge blocks or shoes attached to the under face of its free This supporting table or frame when lowered its full distance restsupon the face of the base of the machine, and the free or unhinged portion thereof works between the guides 5, upwardly projecting from the base l. These guides serve to hold the supporting frame or table in proper position and pre- -Ventthe motion or shake of the concentrat- IOO hIO

ing-table G, arranged thereabove, disturbing the same. The concentrating-table 6 is held a slight distance above the supporting-frame by means of the socket-plates 7 8, one being attached t0 the frame 4 and the other to the under face of the table, and within these socket-plates are located the ball-bearings 9, which hold the socket-plates a slight distance apart. In the present case the feed edge of the table is inclined or cut away from its head end toward its tail end, thus reducing the weight of the table, although this feature is immaterial.

From the supporting-frame at its free side upwardly project the curved brackets 10, which brackets su pport the trough or runway 11. This trough receives the pulp or ore to be treated, and in the bottom thereof a series of outlet-openings 12 are formed, through which the ore is distributed upon the surface of the table, the necessary water being supplied through the water-pipe 13. Any suitable style of water and ore feed distributer may be employed.

Below each wedge block or shoe is located the wedge 14, the same being attached to a longitudinally movable rod 15. This rod works in suitable guides 16 and at one end is provided with a rack-plate 17, which is engaged by the ratchet-head 18 of a fulcrumed lever 19. As this lever is thrown up or down the head 18, engaging the rack-plate 17, moves the rod 15 outwardly and inwardly. This movement of the rod 15 cari-ies the wedges 14 therewith, which wedges as moved from under or beneath the wedge blocks or shoes 4 cause the same to ride thereon, so as to lower or raise the concentrating-table 6 at its feed edge or side in order to adjust the inclination thereof to meet the requirement of the ore being worked.

A vibratory motion is imparted to the table 6 by means of the rod or piston F2, which at one end connects with the coupling 20, attached, preferably, centrally to the head end of the table. The drive mechanism consists of suitable means by which I am enabled to increase, decrease, or vary the stroke 0r motion of the table. This mechanism islocated at the head end of the table and may be described as follows: The letter A is used to indicate any suitable base-plate or the frameplate for the drive mechanism, from which base upwardly extend or to said base are secured the upwardly-extending brackets or plates A. Through these plates centrally extends the drive-shaft C2, upon one end of which shaft are mounted the fast and loose belt-pulleys C and C2, and to the opposite end of said shaft is secured the fly-wheel C. Upon this shaft, between the brackets A', I arrange and adj ustably secure the drive-cams E and E', which cams are arranged eccentrically to one another and which during the rotation of the shaft C2 contact with and bear against the rolls E2 and E2, mounted upon the shafts or axles F and F, located, respectively, be-

tween the arms or bifurcated portion of the fulcrumed levers or arms B' and B2. Thelever or arm B is fulcrumed to the ears A2, upwardly projecting from the base-plate A, and to said bell-crank lever or arm, at a point approximately diametrically opposite its fulcrum-point, is pivoted or hinged a shorter bell-crank arm or lever B2, which lever or arm at its lower end is pivoted, hinged, or otherwise secured to the reciprocating rod or piston F2, which connects with the concentrator table or mechanism to be driven. This rod or reciprocating piston extends or works through the bearings a and a', secured to brackets upwardly extending from the base A, and to the outer end of said rod or reciprocating piston is attached the collar D', between which collar and the collar D, located thereon beyond the bearing a', isinterposed the pressure spring or cushion D2. The pressure of this spring or cushion is sufficient to always maintain or exert an outward pressure upon the piston or reciprocating rod F2. As the shaft C3 is rotated or driven the cams E and E' will engage, respectively, or bear against the faces of the rolls E2 and E3 and as carried against said rolls will force or swing the levers or arms B and B2 inward and outward and through the connection of the lever or arm B2 with the reciprocating rod F2 will cause or serve to move the said rod in a corresponding direction-that is, as the cam E' is carried against the roll E2 the said rod F2, through the intermediate connection, will be thrown or forced inwardly,while upon the cam E engaging or bearing against the face of the roll E2 the said rod will be moved outwardly.

It is owing to the eccentric relations which the cams E and E bear to each other that governs the stroke or movement imparted to the arms B' and B2, the movement of which arms controls the length or stroke of the piston or reciprocating rod F2, or, in other words, a slow motion may be imparted to the rod F2 in one direction and a rapid motion in the opposite direction.

The movement of the parts before described is dependent upon the position in which the said cams E and E are placed or located relatively to each other upon the shaft C, as it is obvious that as the point of contact of these cams with the rolls E2 and E3 is increased or decreased as to distance the stroke or movement of the piston or connecting-rod F2 will be increased or decreased in accordance therewith. Y

It is not necessary that the rolls E2 and E3 be rotating ones, for any point of contact interposed between the arms B and B2 and the cams mounted upon the shaft C2 will serve to give the proper movement or stroke to the said fulcrum-arms in order to change or vary the movement or stroke 0f the rod or piston F2, and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to rolls connecting to said arm, nor do I wish to be understood as limiting myself to any particular IOC IIO

form, shape, or style of cams mounted upon the drive-shaft C3 for imparting this variable movement or stroke to the connecting-rod or piston F2.

Inasmuch as the working face of the concentrating-table stands normally during the working of the machine at an incline to its base and as the material to be treated is fed upon the table at its elevated edge, it is obvious that the separation of the material takes place as it traverses the face of the table from its feed toward its lowered edge or side. To prevent a direct downward lateral travel of the material and gradually throw or direct the same toward the discharge or tail end -of the table, I interpose or arrange on the Working face of the table a longitudinally-extending rib 15', which leads or is run from the head of the table toward its tail or discharge end. This rib is preferablycurved in accordance with the ascertained movement or line of travel of the ore as carried over the working face of the table by the vibratory or reciprocating motion imparted thereto. In the present case the rib is illustrated as describing the approximate curve of a parabola. If desired, more than one rib may be employed. This rib at its upper end is raised or elevated a slight distance above the surface of the table and is gradually reduced toward its lower end, where it terminates flush with the table.

The ore as carried over the working face of the table is graduallyseparated, the direct downward movement of the heavier particles being obstructed by the rib 15 and gradually thrown bythe movement of the table toward the discharge or tail end of the table, the lighter particles being carried off by the iiow of the water. By means of the rib 15 the movement or 4travelof the material is retarded and the same subjected to the action of the table for a longer period and more perfectseparation secured than where the ore is permitted a free and unobstructed movement.

Having thus described my inventi-on, what I claim as new, and desire to secure protection in by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an oreconcentrator, the combination with the concentrating-table having a plane upper surface, of the ore and water feed arranged thereabove, a curved obstructing-rib rib 15 on the face of the table arranged to generally follow the line of travel of the ore over the working face of the table, substantially as described.

3. In an ore-concentrator, the combination with the concentrating-table having a plane upper surface, of the ore and water feed arranged thereabove, an obstructing-rib on the face of the table which extends in a curve from the head to the tail or discharge end of the table, the upper edge of said rib gradually inclining from the head end toward the tail. end of the machine, devices by means of which the inclination of the table may be regulated, and of mechanism by means 0f which a variable reciprocating motion may be imparted to the concentrating-table.

4. In an ore-concentrator, the combination with the concentrating-table having a single obstructing-rib on the working face thereof, of the drive mechanism, connection between said table and the drive mechanism, and adj ustable devices by means of which the move ment of the drive mechanism may be varied in order to change the stroke or reciprocating motion of the table.

5. In an ore-concentrator, the combination with a plane concentrating-table inclined transversely, of means for reciprocating the table longitudinally, and a longitudinal obstructing-'rib on the working face of said table, said rib being curved transversely of the table, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses, this 28th day of January, 1899.

WILLIS Gr. DODD.

I Witnesses:

W. A. Aonnn, D. B. RIoHARDs. 

